E-books or Books?

There is much debate about whether electronic books, or e-books, are better than traditional print books. Some people feel that print books are becoming less popular. Others find joy and entertainment in reading, regardless of format. Both have their own appeal. Print books come with the familiar comfort of turning the pages by hand, feeling the smooth paper under their fingertips. Often, fans of print books mention the smell of books and the excitement of opening a new cover. I concur with the sentiment, however I will be focusing on the enjoyment of reading e-books.

Reading books in a digital format has its own magic. E-books can be read almost anywhere, on nearly all devices. Tablets, smart phones, e-readers, laptops, and desktop computers generally all have apps available that allow for the reading of e-books. From a personal standpoint, I prefer a tablet. It has the convenience and portability that a smart phone also offers, yet has the larger screen to make reading easier and more pleasant.

In my opinion, the best thing about books in digital format, is the portability. A tablet can be tucked into a purse, briefcase, backpack, diaper bag, etc. Through this device, tens of thousands of books are available for your enjoyment, in just moments. Not to mention, if you download several to your device, you can literally be carrying a dozen books, without the weight of the printed books. For book lovers, this is amazing.

Access to books is vast and simple. Prices vary of course, by genre and the relative familiarity of the author. Many websites that sell e-books, offer broad assortment that are on sale for free. Often, these books are by unknown authors, or self-published works. This does not necessarily diminish the quality. I have read dozens of e-books by lesser known authors who have self-published, and enjoyed them quite a bit. With a quick internet search, you can find websites that do some of the work for you. The websites scour book sellers to list books that are priced very low or free. Then provides a link to purchase the book for whichever device you choose.

Most libraries have programs that allow you to check out e-books, much like borrowing print books. Many online retailers also have programs that offer nearly unlimited access to thousands of books, for a small monthly fee. Usually, you can borrow e-books for as long as you wish, however you are only able to check out a few books at a time.

Another benefit to e-books, especially those that are available discounted or free, you have access to genres and authors that you might never encounter or seek out otherwise. There are thousands of books on a multitude of subjects that I have read, that I would not have considered previously. I have also read books that I purchased low-cost, that are parts of series. So you get pulled in by a well written, enjoyable story, and are more willing to pay higher prices for subsequent books in the set.

I personally do not feel that digital books will ever replace print books in the long term. Many book lovers, like myself, read many books in both formats. I do enjoy having access to many books at one time. If I lose interest in one book for a little bit, I can easily switch to another book in seconds. Most e-reader applications have great bookmarking features. Making it very easy to pick up where you left off. So there is little chance of losing your page while reading. The ease of access and the convenience of e-books gives me a lot of satisfaction. I like being able to pick up a book and start reading almost anywhere. Browsing for new books is easy and available 24 hours a day.

I may personally prefer e-books for the reasons I have stated above, however I will never stop enjoying reading in a paper format. Reading offers pleasure and stimulation like no other. There are millions of books out there to be read and enjoyed. E-books are just another way to do so. Convenience, simplicity, portability, variety. These are all qualities that e-books have to offer. Making it easier than ever to enjoy reading.